Team event gives players the opportunity to play cowboy at George Historic Ranch

Texas Tech's Kyle Clark and Chase Robison drag a calf back to a pen during the rodeo bowl on Wednesday in Houston. The Red Raiders and Minnesota competed in several events at the George Historic Ranch.

Minnesota triumphant in Rodeo Bowl

HOUSTON — An injury suffered before fall practice forced Texas Tech freshman defensive tackle Anthony Smith to redshirt this season, but he provided a preview of the strength he may bring to the table Wednesday during the annual Rodeo Bowl at George Historic Ranch.

The fun event for players from Tech and Minnesota gave both teams the chance to compete in random rodeo-style activities. During one heat, teams of four players were tasked with corralling three calves through a gate.

Smith, the 5-foot-10, 312-pound Houston native decided the best way to get one of the calves through was by lifting it all the way of the ground and walking it toward the gate. He didn’t quite make it, but he did plenty of the work for his teammates.

Kyle Clark and Chase Robison finished off Smith’s efforts by dragging the calf across the proverbial finish line.

“It was close” Smith said with a laugh. “He kind of ran and got out of my hands.”

Despite Smith’s best efforts, Tech fell short during the Rodeo Bowl — which also featured, roping mascots, a dance competition, and several activities requiring players to herd calves — as Minnesota players looked more like cowboys than their counterparts from West Texas.

The Red Raiders, though, didn’t seem too distraught by their loss in the Rodeo Bowl. They had their eyes on the bigger prize as they chanted “Wait 'til Friday!” across the arena at the Minnesota contingent.

“We just have to wait until Friday to show them really what’s up,” Smith said.

Williams happy for his pal

Few people were happier to see Texas Tech sophomore tight end Jace Amaro medically cleared for Friday’s Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas than his close friend, Tech running back Kenny Williams.

Williams and Amaro have been close since arriving in Lubbock as members of the same recruiting class, and Williams knows how hard it was for his buddy as Amaro missed the last six weeks of the season due to a spleen injury.

“I’m really happy for him,” Williams said. “When he was out, every day I heard him talk about just wanting to get on the field. Now that he’s back, he’s going to give it his all.”

In addition to just being happy to see Amaro playing again, Williams has another reason to be glad the tight end will return on Friday.

“We have a missing piece to our running game back in the mix,” Williams said of Amaro, “and he adds a lot to our running game. I’ll be able to feed off of that.”

For his part, Amaro said Williams’ support made the time he had to miss more bearable.

“That guy, all the things we’ve been through, especially me and him, I can call him my brother,” Amaro said. “He and Michael (Brewer) have always been right there. The first day I was in the hospital, both of them came in and were the first guys in there. They just said, ‘We’re going to play for you.’ I feel like that’s why I really wanted to get back for this game, because we’ve really formed a brotherhood around here.”

On the big stage ... again

It’s not too often a college team gets to play two straight games inside a massive NFL stadium, but that’s the opportunity Texas Tech has been presented with its spot in the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas against Minnesota, which kicks of at 8 p.m. Friday inside the Houston Texans’ Reliant Stadium.

The Red Raiders played their regular-season finale against Baylor inside Cowboys Stadium.

“It’s really cool, especially for the younger guys,” Tech quarterback Seth Deoge said. “The college atmosphere is crazy, and it’s awesome, but playing a professional arena is something that you’ve always dreamed of as a little kid. We’re excited about it and ready to play.”

Before Minnesota opened TCF Bank Stadium in 2009, the Golden Gophers played their home games inside the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome — home of the Minnesota Vikings — from 1982 to 2008. But for most of the players on the current Gopher roster, playing on an NFL stage, especially one as state-of-the-art as Reliant Stadium, will be a new experience.

“It’s going to be a blast,” Minnesota freshman quarterback Philip Nelson said. “I know everybody is excited and it’s going to get the juices flowing.”

On the bright side

Now that his unplanned redshirt season is nearly over, Texas Tech running back DeAndre Washington says he’s glad he sat out this fall.

Washington recovered from knee surgery last December in time to play early this season, but coaches decided to hold him out. The Red Raiders had enough running backs as Kenny Williams and Sadale Foster emerged alongside Eric Stephens, and it gave Washington more time to gain full confidence in the right knee he injured in the next-to-last game of the 2011 season.

“Honestly, I think this redshirt probably was the best thing that could have happened,” Washington said after the team’s Wednesday practice at Rice Stadium. “I felt like if I needed to play – if someone would have gone down – then I could have. But I think redshirting will be good for me in the long run, so I’m glad I did it.”

The 5-foot-8, 191-pound Washington played as a true freshman in 2011, rushing for 366 yards. He’ll be a sophomore in 2013.

“I feel great,” he said. “Really, not from a physical standpoint, but more so from a mental standpoint. I’ve been here for a while now, so I’m comfortable. I know how things are run. I think that’ll really give me an advantage going into next year, knowing what to expect and what to work for this offseason.”

Washington might come back with a different jersey number. He wore No. 21 his last two years of high school and so far at Tech. He wore No. 5 as a high school freshman and sophomore and this week in bowl practices.

“I’m starting to like it,” he said, “so I might switch it up next year.”